Rob Base, one-half of the seminal Harlem duo Rob Base & DJ E-Z Rock, died on Friday (May 22) after a “private battle with cancer.” He was 59.
“Rob’s music, energy, and legacy helped shape a generation and brought joy to millions around the world,” a statement on his Instagram page read. “Beyond the stage, he was a loving father, family man, friend, and creative force whose impact will never be forgotten.”
The duo’s 1988 hit “It Takes Two” remains a cornerstone of hip-hop history. By layering infectious bars over the iconic Think drum break—a loop famously drawn from Lyn Collins’ James Brown-produced 1972 track “Think (About It)”—the song helped propel both hip-hop and house music into the mainstream. Base’s opening lines, “I wanna rock right now, I’m Rob Base and I came to get down,” have become some of the most recognizable lyrics in the genre, frequently sampled and interpolated by artists ranging from the Black Eyed Peas and Ciara to Snoop Dogg and Mac Miller.
A Lifelong Partnership
Born Robert Ginyard in New York City in 1967, Rob Base formed a lifelong bond with DJ E-Z Rock (born Rodney Bryce) during their elementary school years in Harlem. “I had moved from the Bronx at that time and I didn’t have any friends around the way,” Base recalled in a 2014 interview with XXL, following the death of his longtime collaborator. “So when I went to school, him and me sat at the back of the class and we just clicked from there.”
The pair began their professional journey in 1986 with the single “DJ Interview,” which eventually led to a deal with Profile Records. While “It Takes Two” achieved massive, unexpected crossover success, Base remained humble about its origins. “We were just happy that it was a song that the people in the Bronx and Harlem knew,” he told XXL. “We didn’t think it would cross over the way that it did. We just thought it was a regular hip-hop record for around the way.”
Legacy and Tributes
Following the success of “It Takes Two,” the duo released a debut album of the same name, which included other staples like “Joy and Pain” and “Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground).” Base continued his career with a 1989 solo album, The Incredible Base, and in recent years, he remained a fixture on the live circuit, performing as part of the “I Love the ‘90s Tour” alongside artists like Vanilla Ice and Tone Loc.
In the wake of his passing, tributes have poured in from across the hip-hop community. Grandmaster Flash honored his peer in a heartfelt video message, stating, “He was one of the gentleman of this thing we call hip-hop. Great conversationalist, fun guy, cool guy—electric on stage.”